Welcome, I'll be writing about the History of The South from the Colonial Era to the Present. I'm a Historian and Genealogist, as well as the Author of the popular bilingual "Rosales' History of The South" Newspaper Column and Radio Show and also the Author of various books and articles dealing with Southern History and Genealogy. I will be happy to assist you in finding your Southern, Confederate or Hispanic Ancestors, so feel free to email me at HistoryofTheSouth@Yahoo.Com

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Captain Thomas Cooper De Leon (May 21, 1839 - March 19, 1914) was a Chief Clerk Office of Pay and a member of the Confederate States Navy. He served at the same rank as personal secretary for President Jefferson Davis, being specifically entrusted with confidential correspondence. Thomas Cooper De Leon is well known for his many post war books and poetry including “Creole and Puritan” (1889), “Puritans Daughter” (1891), “Four Years in Rebel Capitals” (1893), “Confederate Memories” (1899) and “Belles, Beaux and Brains of the 60’s” (1909). He was also editor of the Mobile Register, The Gossip and The Gulf Citizen after the war.

Thomas was the brother of Edwin De Leon (May 4, 1818 - November 30, 1891), former Consul General for the United States, in Egypt under the administrations of President’s Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan and who served as the Confederate Envoy in Europe. He was also the brother of David Camden De Leon (1813 - September 3, 1872), 1st Surgeon General of the Confederacy, who had fought in the Seminole War. He was wounded twice while fighting in the Mexican War.

Thomas Cooper De Leon was a descendent of a Spanish / Sephardic Jewish family. Thomas and his brothers were the children of Dr. Mordecai Hendricks De Leon (1791-1848), and Rebecca Lopez y Nunez, of Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Mordecai Hendricks De Leon, was the son of Jacob De Leon (1764-1828). Thomas went totally blind in 1903 and was called “the Blind Laureate of the Lost Cause.” He is buried at Magnolia Cemetery, in Mobile, Alabama, in the Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp 11, United Confederate Veterans Plot (Square 27, Lot 13). DeLeon Avenue in Mobile is named after this family. /// This is the radio show episode where I talk about Thomas Cooper De Leon, you can click here and listen to the show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rosales-history-of-the-south/2010/11/15/rosales-history-of-the-south-show-2-la-historia-de, I hope you enjoy it.

You can visit http://adf.ly/8ALVr and learn about the Cuba Libre Camp Project of the Admiral Semmes Camp 11, Sons of Confederate Veterans which is a project to identify all known Cuban Confederate Soldiers, as well as other Hispanics and Minorities who served in the Confederate Military.

Monday, October 11, 2010

I wish everyone a Happy Columbus Day / Festa Di Colombo / Dia De La Raza. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was a visionary who never gave up on his goal. He left a legacy of exploration and discovery unheralded in his time. I suggest you read about this great man and his discoveries by checking out the book and DVD I listed. They have great information on the man and the history.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

1) Juan Callejon - He served as Consul of Spain, from 1855 to 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a supporter of the Confederate States of America and assisted the Spanish Citizens (including Cubans from the then Spanish Colony of Cuba) in New Orleans and in Louisiana during the Confederate Period and afterwards during the Federal Occupation, until 1866. /// If you love Southern History you can listen to "Rosales" History of The South" Radio Show by clicking on this link http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rosales-history-of-the-south

Friday, October 1, 2010

Antonio Espejo was the son of Bartolo Espejo, of Malaga, Spain. There is little known about his background, his age, or when exactly he arrived, in Mobile. He worked as a Royal Carpenter, at Spanish, Fort Confederation (Fort Tombigbee), in Alabama. He arrived in Mobile and married Catalina Plock (also found as Block, born April 17th, 1781-died September 9th, 1862). Antonio received land grants, in Mobile and the County. He died, in the Yellow Fever outbreak, of 1805 and was buried at the Spanish Cemetery, in downtown Mobile, Campo Santo. His body doesn’t seem to have dis-intered and moved to Church Street Cemetery when it opened. He had children with Catalina but the surname “daughtered out”. His descendant’s include member’s, of the Tankersley and Ingersoll families, of Mobile, Alabama. Catalina Espejo re-married after he passed away and is buried at the Tankersley Lot, in Church Street Cemetery, in downtown Mobile.

About Me

My name is John ODonnell-Rosales. I am an "on again, off again" Adjunct History and Spanish Instructor, at various Gulf Coast Colleges and Universities, as well as a Professional Genealogist and Author of various books and articles dealing with Southern History and Cuba. // If you need assistance in finding or researching your Family History / Ancestor's, or if you would like to contact me about the "Passenger Pigeon Education and Photography Project" or for any other reason, you can email me at HistoryofTheSouth@Yahoo.Com, Thank You for stopping by and visiting the site. Copyright 2008-2014